Does Justin Bieber’s Cosign Mean Cargo Shorts Are Good Now?

Hold on. Gimme a minute. I'm trying to pick the pieces of my shattered mind off the floor real quick. Because just when I thought things couldn't get any stranger in the world of men's style, Justin Bieber had to go full Golf Dad and rock a light blue polo, some very sporty sneakers, and a pair of actual freakin' cargo shorts.

And considering Bieber is a legitimate force in shaping the fashion zeitgeist—let us never forget the Summer of Sleaze—that means we all have to ask ourselves a very important question: Are cargo shorts good now?

Before you answer, take another look:

IMAGE Getty Images

OK, so... probably not. They aren't "good" in the traditional sense of being, well, actually good. But there's something so damn perfect about Bieber wearing a pair to complement the rest of his fit. This is a guy who blazed (figuratively, and likely literally) the trail of sleazecore style. Now, he's doing something even stranger: going Full Cargo Short. It's aggressive, but not in the same way.

Whereas going full sleaze was about leaning into the stereotype, going Full Cargo Short is more about subverting the norm. Justin Bieber is dressing like your dad! Or your uncle! Or any one of the many men in your life who refuses to ditch his gigantic, stuff-haulin' short pants.

IMAGE Getty Images

And precisely because he is Justin Bieber, there's something more to it than mere resignation. This is an act of rebellion. Of defiance. It's not sleazecore or normcore or dadcore, it's just bad. And then, somehow, kinda good?

But here's the crucial thing: It's only kinda good. Like, very barely good. And only for Justin Bieber. So if you want to bust out the cargo shorts, you'd better have the right "fuck you, fashion" pedigree to back it up. And even then, it's unlikely that it's a good idea.

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Unless... maybe... it is?

This story originally appeared on Esquire.com. Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors.

In the 15 years since The Wire, Elba has starred in blockbusters and art house films, won a Golden Globe, released two albums, founded a production house, received an OBE, launched a clothing label and made his directing debut. He's only just getting started.